We Are Broken
by ThatAvengersFangirl
Summary: Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff are two broken people. But if you look inside one's heart, to their deepest pit of misery, you can find healing. This is the story of how they found their own through eachother. *Not a romance, just a story of their friendship.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful part of us." -David Richo

"France? France is good," Clint said as he helped himself to another slice of pizza. Natasha rolled her eyes and gave Tony a suspicious look. When he caught her gaze, he gave her one of his million dollar smiles. She sniffed and turned away.

"I still don't understand why you're picking me. I'm not the most popular choice out of all the others, clearly." Tony sighed as he snatched the pizza slice from Clint's hands and sat back down, leaving Clint standing there with a sad expression on his face. "But Tony, that was the last slice!" Tony laughed as he turned back to Natasha. "Then order another box of pizza, Legolas." Clint glared at him and then sat back down.

"Look, Nat, I just want someone to go to France with me, and no ones free. Pepper's got all that press stuff, Bruce is off in who knows where, Cap and Thor are so clueless about the world that it would be a drag to have them, and Clint, well, don't you think he'd be a little more useful if he stayed back here?" Clint glared at him again and sat back further in his chair.

"And besides, Happy's on vacation, and I could use some form of security. You'd be perfect for the job." Natasha stared at Tony, trying to read him. "Why is your head security guard on vacation when you plan on going to France? And why are you going to France anyway?" Clint glanced up. "And why are you trying so hard to get Nat to go?" Tony laughed. "Why are you so concerned, Clint?" Clint glared at him again. "You know what, I'm just going to go. Let me know when you're finished persuading her to go on that stupid date." Tony laughed and Natasha just sat there. "It isn't a date." Clint walked out the door, mumbling "Whatever," as he left.

Tony looked up at her with puppy dog eyes. "Please?" Natasha sighed, regretting even listening to his proposition in the first place. "If it's such a big deal to you, then fine, I'll go. As long as it shuts you up." Tony grinned. "Thanks, Tash!" She glared at him. "Don't call me that. My name is Natasha, not Tash, or whatever childish nicknames you come up with for me." Despite her cold comment, Tony still couldn't stop grinning. "I promise, you won't regret this trip. You'll have fun." Natasha nodded, sighing softly. "You never answered my question. Why do you have to go to France?"

"Just some stupid charity benefit. They want me to go, but since Pepper was staying I wasn't going to go either. Then she told me it was too important to miss or whatever. So now I'm stuck meeting with a bunch of boring, snobby people for a whole night. But since you're coming, it won't be too bad. We'll be staying for like a week. And I have some other, uh, personal matters to attend to." Natasha gave him a suspicious glance, but she didn't press. He looked down, avoiding her gaze. _Looks like I'll be doing some investigating_, she thought as she got up from the table.

"When do we leave?" She asked.

"Well, I was thinking we would leave Thursday morning, about noon. It's like an 8 hour plane ride, so it won't be too late when we arrive.

"You're giving me two days to pack, let Fury know I'll be gone for a week, and get all my stuff ready?"

He shrugged. "Well, if you need longer..."

"No, I'll be fine," she said, shaking her head. "Just messing around."

He grinned. "Okay, sounds good. I'll let you know the night before any last minute plans we have." She nodded and headed towards the hallway, going to her room. "I'll be ready. And of course I'll see you again before we leave." He smiled at her again, and his grin got even wider when she gave a small smile back. "See you later then," he called. "Don't kill anyone before we leave. Wouldn't want Fury on your ass when we're supposed to be on vacation."

"Of course not. I'll see you later, Tony." She walked down the hall, hearing him say goodbye one more time. She came to her door and opened it, walking in and collapsing onto the bed as she thought of her upcoming trip with Tony. The thought of going on vacation with him at first sounded rather displeasing, but she didn't want him to be upset. Or get mad. Fury had been constantly telling her to "be kind" to the team and "watch what you say" to them. She understood that he wanted them to be on good terms, but it's not like anyone listened to her anyway. They all hated her. _This stupid trip better be good,_ she thought as she drifted off into a deep sleep.

**Well everyone, I'm starting on another new story. Sorry I keep doing new ones, I just come up with really good ideas. Anyway, I hope you guys like this so far. I'll try and update whenever I can. Reviews are always appreciated! Thanks. **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you." -Fix You, Coldplay

"Promise you'll stay safe?" Pepper asked her boyfriend as he got ready to board his private jet. Natasha was saying some last words to the rest of the team. "I promise," Tony said, smiling. "And please, just be nice at the charity benefit. No rude comments, no fights, and please, whatever you do, don't get drunk."

Tony laughed. "Okay Pep, you have my word. But only if you promise to not worry about me. I don't want a call every 4 hours asking if I'm okay." Pepper smiled, her strawberry blonde hair glistening in the sunlight. "Fine. But please, just stay safe for me. I don't want you coming back with a broken arm. Or worse." Tony moved a strand of hair out of her eyes, smiling at her. She's perfect, he thought as he leaned in to give her a kiss. The kiss lasted a few precious moments, and as they pulled away, Tony noticed sadness in Pepper's eyes. "I love you," he whispered. "I'll be back soon." She leaned her forehead against his. "I love you more." Tony was just about to reply when he was interrupted by Thor.

"Man of Iron, this flying machine you call an airplane seems to be leaving very soon. Lady Natasha has already gotten on." Tony turned to him. "I'm coming, Point Break. Let them know I'll be on in a minute." He watched Thor go, then turned back to Pepper. "Sorry honey. Anyway, like I was saying, don't worry about me. I'll be fine." He wrapped her up in a warm hug. "Okay. I'll see you soon Tony." They broke apart, and Pepper watched as he got on the plane, waving at her one last time.

Tony sat down next to Natasha, grinning. "Are you ready to have the time of your life in one of the most beautiful countries in the world?" Natasha shrugged. "Yes. It's strange though; going to a different country and not being on a mission. The last time I was in France..." Natasha gazed off, lost in her own thoughts.

Tony snapped his fingers in front of her face, trying to get her attention. Her eyes blazed as she looked back at him. "Do not snap at me. I'm not your dog, or your pet. I'm a human being." Tony laughed. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But seriously Natasha, can't you learn to live a little?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, glaring at him. He looked over at her again. "What I'm trying to say," he said as he sat back further in his seat, "is that you're always so cold. So emotionless. Why? We're your friends. Friends don't act like that."

She scoffed at the comment. "I don't have friends. And frankly, I don't need them. The only person I need to depend on is myself. As long as I can do that, I'll be fine in life."

Tony gazed at her sadly. "Natasha, why do you do this to yourself? Why do you push away everyone that tries to get to know you? I'm trying to make an effort here. I want to be your friend, and so does everyone else. Remember last week, when Steve offered to make you lunch? And when Pepper tried to get you to go shopping with her? They want to talk to you. They want to be your friend, but you won't let them. You have to let people in, or they're going to stop trying."

She sat there for a few minutes, a small frown on her face. Finally, after Tony had closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep, she replied. "You want to know why I don't let people in? Why I like being alone?"

He opened his eyes, looking over at her. "Why?" She looked away, avoiding his gaze as she spoke. "Because in the end, they hurt you. They lie, they cheat, they pretend to love you. To be your friend. But really, they just use you. I'd rather be alone then get hurt again."

She turned over in her seat, looking out the window as Tony took everything in. "Natasha, I hope you know that I would never hurt you. None of us would. I just want to get to know you, and be your friend." She continued to look out the window, ignoring his comment. "I don't know why you're like this, but no one should have to feel like that. I just want to try and fix you."

**How are you guys liking the story so far? Review and let me know! Thanks so far for everyone that has followed and favorited this story, it means alot. Any ideas you have for the next chapter? Feel free to tell me. **


	3. The Charity Benefit

Chapter 3

Natasha marveled at the sights as she and Tony walked through the streets of Paris, France. Tony grinned when he saw her face. "So you like it?" He asked her. She spoke as they moved through the crowds. "This is the first time I've been here when I haven't had to kill someone. It's a strange feeling, but it's nice."

Tony nodded in agreement as they turned a corner. "It's one of my favorite places. I've taken Pepper here a few times, and she really likes it too." As they continued to walk down the street, a little boy ran up to them. His mother trailed behind him, trying to catch up. The boy looked to be about 7 or 8, and he had an Iron Man shirt on.

"Iron Man!" He exclaimed with a slight French accent. He wrapped his arms around Tony and gave him a big hug, smiling. As his mother came up to them, the little boy turned around and pointed at Tony excitedly. "It's Iron Man!" He shouted again. The mother grabbed his hand and pulled him back softly, smiling at Tony. "I'm sorry," she said, "my little boy is a big fan. We used to live in New York, and he always dreamed of seeing Iron Man." Tony chuckled and turned back to the boy, who was beaming with excitement.

"Would you like an autograph?" Tony asked the boy. "Yes, please!" He squeaked as his mom pulled a notepad from her purse. Tony quickly signed it and then put an arm around the boy's shoulder as they took a picture. After the mother had put her camera away, she grabbed the boy's hand and started to walk away. "Thank you, Mr. Stark," she called. The little boy turned back and grinned at him. "Thank you Iron Man, and thanks for saving everyone back in New York!" He waved one last time and then he and his mom were lost in the crowds.

Tony stood there for a few moments, watching them go. "I didn't know you had French fans," Natasha remarked as he started walking again. "Well, I am Iron Man, you know. I'm pretty sure I have fans in just about every country." Natasha smirked. "Way to be humble." Tony grinned. "Of course, Natasha. Anything for you."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "So what time is that stupid charity benefit?" She asked. They turned another corner and their hotel came into view. "It starts tonight at seven, so if we hurry and get ready now, we'll have enough time." They entered the hotel and took the elevator up to the fifth floor, where their rooms were sitting side by side. "Be out by 6 so we can get there early," Tony said as he unlocked his door. She nodded at him, dissapearing into her room.

An hour later, Natasha walked into Tony's room. She was wearing a beautiful emerald green dress that fit her figure perfectly. "Tony?" She called as she finished putting on one of her earrings. He appeared a few seconds later, buttoning up his shirt. "Wow Nat, you look really nice." She rolled her eyes to hide the fact that she was blushing. "Shut up Tony. Lets just go so we aren't late." He quickly put on his tie and jacket, then headed for the door.

"Hey, we're matching!" He exclaimed, pointing at his tie. It was the same color as Natasha's dress. She looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. "No, really?" She said sarcastically. Tony glared at her, heading out to the car. "You're no fun. Why are you in such a bad mood?" They got into the car, Tony in the driver's seat and Natasha riding shotgun. "I'm not in a bad mood," she replied. He glanced over at her as he drove. "Well then what's with the sarcasm? I'm not even that bad." She laughed. "First of all, you are just as bad as that, if not worse. And second, I don't have to explain to you why I'm in the moods I'm in. It's none of your business."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever Natasha. Just please, don't be all boring at depressed at the benefit. I don't want to be a loner, and if you go and hide in a corner, then I will be."

"What makes you think that I will run off into a corner all night?" She asked.

"Because that's what you always do at the tower. You either sit in your room all day or you read a book or something. But you never talk to anybody but Clint. And sometimes Steve." She shrugged. "That's what I like to do. I don't like socializing."

He pulled up to the museum that the charity benefit was being held at. They got out of the car and walked in, Tony smiling and waving as they walked, and Natasha looking extremely uncomfortable. They were escorted to a table, and shortly after they sat down people began coming up to them to ask Tony questions. "Tony, how are you liking France? Mr. Stark, can you tell us anything about your new suit, the Mark 42? What are your thoughts on the battle of Manhattan?" Tony flinched a little at the last question. "I'll answer questions later," he said sharply. "Now please, just leave me alone."

Natasha glanced over at him once everyone left. He glared at her. "What?" She shrugged, standing up. "Nothing. I'm going to go get a drink, so I'll see you back here later." She started walking away, but she wasn't surprised when he heard him call her. "Nat- Wait!" He called. "I'm coming with you."

They walked over to the bar and ordered two Martini's, sitting down at the bar. They talked quietly for a few minutes until another reporter came over. Tony answered her questions grudgingly, and then left her to talk with Natasha as he went out onto the balcony. He sat out there for a few minutes, sipping his drink and gazing at the city. He glanced at his watch and noticed that he had been out there for almost an hour. _Finally some peace and quiet_, he thought as he watched the sparkling lights.

Just as he closed his eyes to rest for a few minutes, the door opened to the balcony and slammed shut. Tony turned around, rolling his eyes, but stopped when he saw Natasha standing there. Her face was more pale than usual, her hands were shaking slightly, and she had genuine fear in her eyes. He rushed up to her. "Natasha, what's going on?"

She glanced behind them at the door, then came closer. Her eyes twinkled in the moonlight. "Tony, I'm sorry, but we have to go." She glanced behind them at the door again. "We aren't safe here anymore. We have company."


	4. Late Night Visitor

Chapter 4

"Natasha, what the hell is going on?" Tony asked her as she came close. Seeing her in this state had really scared him. She took a deep breath.

"Alex. He's come after us."

Tony gave her a confused look. "Alex? Who's that?" Natasha sighed, folding her arms to prevent them from shaking. "I'll give details later. Right now we just need to get out of here. Fast."

He gave her another confused look, but followed her off of the balcony and back into the charity benefit. They weaved through the crowds, keeping their heads low to avoid attention. They were just about to get out the door when Tony heard Natasha gasp.

He looked at her and saw her eyes wide open, staring in shock at a something across the room. Tony looked over and saw a man with dark hair, short but covering his eyes in a menacing way. He looked to be in his early thirties, and he had a large scar on his cheek. He began to turn in their direction, so Tony grabbed Natasha.

"Lets go," he murmured as they went out the doors. They quickly got into Tony's car and started it up, heading for the hotel. Tony glanced over at Natasha for a split second. Her eyes were wide and she pulled out a gun from under the seat. "How did that get there?" Tony asked harshly as he turned a corner. "Natasha, you need to give me some damn answers. Now."

She looked over at him, taking a deep breath. "Alexei Shoskatov, Alex for short, is an operative that works with the Red Room and other Russian agencies. He was my partner, but he faked his death and I thought him dead. He's my ex."

Tony looked shocked. "Ex what?" He asked.

"My ex husband," she replied quietly. He gasped. "You were married? What happened to you guys?" Natasha rolled her eyes, annoyed. "I thought he was dead, so of course I thought it was over. And after I discovered he was alive we ended it."

They pulled up to the hotel and got out of the car, checking in and heading up to the suite. Once they were both inside, Natasha locked the door and went around the rooms, making sure windows were locked. "What are we supposed to do now?" He asked as they got into pajamas. "We'll take turns keeping watch," she said. "He might try to get in, and we need to be ready."

He watched her load her pistol. "Why is he after you?"

"After all I've done to him, to all of Russia, he wants revenge. I knew he would come, I was just shocked it when it happened. The best thing we can do is just wait for them to come, and fight back."

"Oh," was all he could say. He watched her for a few more minutes, noticing that her face was still very pale. She sat down on a chair near the door, pulling her hair up in a ponytail. "I'll take first watch," she said. "I'll wake you up when it's your turn."

Tony nodded and laid down in his bed, taking one last look at Natasha as he closed his eyes.

He woke up a few hours later, eyes darting around the room. He glanced over at Natasha, who was talking on the phone. He closed his eyes to pretend that he was asleep, but listened to her conversation.

"Yeah, I just saw him there and then we left as soon as we could," she talked into the phone.

She bit her lip as the voice on the other end spoke. "I hope so. I've been up all night keeping watch, and I haven't seen or heard anything yet."

Tony resisted opening his eyes when he heard what Natasha said next. "Steve, I'm scared," she whispered, her voice soft. Natasha never told anyone she was scared, and Tony questioned just how close she and Steve really were as he listened.

Her voice continued to stay quiet. "No, not now. In the morning you could come out though. I just don't want you to have to alert everyone."

Tony fidgeted as he heard her last words, eager to be getting up. He just didn't want her to know he had been eavesdropping. "Okay...," she said, hanging up. She glanced over at the bed and saw Tony's eyes open. She glared at him.

"Um, I'm awake!" He said, avoiding her gaze. She got up from her chair. "It's about time. Not get out of bed, it's your turn to keep watch." He got up, trading Natasha places. "Who was that on the phone?" He questioned, trying to be subtle.

She glanced over at him. "You know who it was. It was Steve. I saw when you woke up, I know you heard the whole conversation." He looked over at her. "Oh... Well I guess I'll talk to you in the morning," he said. She nodded. "Keep that gun on you. And if he comes, or anyone does, wake me up." She closed her eyes, and a few minutes later she fell asleep.

Tony had been up for about three hours when he started to get bored. He glanced at his phone, and it read 4:53 AM. He started to play a game, but he nearly jumped out of his seat when he heard Natasha scream. He ran over to the bed, where she was sitting straight up. Sweat dripped down her face.

"What happened?" He asked, sitting down next to her. She trembled. "Nothing... It was just a dream..." He scooted closer and gave her a hug. "You're okay?" He asked quietly. She nodded. "Yeah." They sat there for a few more minutes, Tony's arms draped around her in a protective hug and Natasha leaning into him. Maybe he isn't so bad after all, she thought.

They were interrupted a few minutes later when Natasha noticed the doorknob was moving slightly. Her heart began to beat faster as Tony noticed and they both looked over, paralyzed with fear. As the knob wiggled some more she realized that the gun was still on the table, next to the door. "Stay here," she whispered to Tony as she silently went over to get the gun.

She stretched across the table, her fingertips nearly touching it. She moved a bit closer, but was too late. The door swung open to reveal a man with short, dark hair. Her eyes widened and he gave her a menacing smile, grabbing the gun and pointing it at her.

Tony jumped up and was about to run and knock over Alex, but froze when Alex grabbed Natasha and held the gun to her head. "You move, and I'll shoot her. One shot is all it takes," he said, tightening his grip on her. He turned her around so they were standing face to face.

"Natalia, it's good to see you again," he said, lips drawing back into a grin. She glared at him. "What the hell do you want?" She asked, trying to sound confident. He pulled her closer to him, laying the gun on the table and putting a hand on her waist. "Oh Natalia, why so aggressive? Aren't you happy to see me?"

Natasha spit on him, trying to get his hands off of her. Tony didn't dare move as Alex looked down at her. "Now, now, we wouldn't want to be doing that, would we? I don't want to see you get hurt," he said mockingly, moving his other hand to cradle her face. Natasha continued to struggle under his grasp. "I thought you didn't love your little spider anymore," she replied confidently. "I thought you were too good for her. That's why you left her behind, after all."

Tony looked at Alex and saw his face twist in anger when she said that. Natasha yelped when his grip on her waist tightened, and Tony gasped when he saw what happened next. Alex moved both his hands up to her face and kissed her, anger and guilt showing in his face. Natasha didn't fight it, just kissed him back hungrily. When they finally broke apart, she slapped him. "What the hell was that?" She questioned, finally getting out of his hold. She kicked him in the groin and reached out for the gun, but cried out in pain when Alex pulled out a knife and stabbed her leg.

Tony jumped into action, running up and punching Alex right in the face. He ducked when Alex took a swing at him, and kicked him in the gut. Natasha got up on shaky legs and grabbed the gun, but Alex knocked it out of her hands and pushed her, sending her flying across the room. She hit the hard floor and sat there, motionless. Tony gasped and started to run over to her, forgetting about the intruder.

Alex took this time as an opportunity to kick Tony's leg, tripping him. As Tony fell, Alex grabbed a vase from the table and hit him over the head with it. Tony crumpled to the ground, and Alex hit him a couple more times to make sure he was knocked out cold. He walked over to Natasha, who was getting up off the floor, and hit her over the head too.

She looked up at him one last time, bracing for the hit. She tried to reach out and intercept his attack, but failed. "Goodnight, my little spider," he whispered as he hit her over the head.

How are you guys liking the story so far? Please let me know! Thanks!


	5. Prisoners

Chapter 5

Tony woke with a start, gasping as he felt a strong punch to his gut. He looked around slowly, adjusting his eyes to the dim lighting. Someone was dragging him by his arms down a dark hall.

"Hurry up," he heard a voice say in a thick Russian accent. When he refused to move, he was punched again. He could barely pick up his feet as they continued down the hall. If I can barely move, he thought, then how am I supposed to get out of here?

Tony heard someone murmur something behind him, and he turned around just long enough to see a pale Natasha being dragged by a tall man. She had a large bruise on her cheek, and there was blood trickling down her forehead. Her head was facing down, away from Tony. He was just about to call her name when he was shoved into a room. Natasha was pushed in after him.

The sound of doors slamming shut echoed in Tony's ears as he looked around. There were no windows, and a single lightbulb illuminated the dark room. The walls and floor were concrete. "Tony, are you okay?" He heard Natasha ask him. He looked over at her, wincing as he turned his head. His whole body ached. "Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, coughing a little. After a few minutes his teeth began to chatter, and it was then that he realized just how cold it was. It had to have been thirty degrees in the room. He looked over at Natasha, and noticed that she was shivering. They sat there, silent, and after about twenty minutes he saw Natasha sit straight up, rubbing her arms.

"How the hell are we supposed to get out of here?" She asked, looking over at him. He sat up too. "Well I don't know, you're the super spy. Don't you have a plan or something?" She rolled her eyes, saying, "Sorry, but I didn't really think that my insane ex-husband was going to come and kidnap us. I hadn't come up with a plan."

Tony sighed. "Do you think the team will show up? Weren't you talking to Steve last night?" Natasha shrugged. "I don't know, I talked to him a bit, but I told him not to worry, and that we could handle it. And even if he knew what happened, it would take him a while to figure out where we are."

"Great. This is just great." Tony tried to stand up, but his legs wobbled beneath him and he fell. The temperature was still dropping, and all he had on was a t-shirt and sweats. "Nobody knows where we are. We don't even know where we are! We're stuck. We'll probably just die in here, from starvation. Or freezing to death." Natasha rolled her eyes. "Well you complaining certainly isn't going to get us out of here, either. Just give me some time, and I can come up-" Her sentence was cut off when the doors to their prison opened and four men walked in. Natasha and Tony both looked up at them. "вставай!" One of the men shouted. Natasha whispered in Tony's ear, "Get up. Quick."

They both stood up on shaky legs, and the men glared at them. The largest of them strode up to Natasha and grabbed her by the wrist, yanking her away from Tony. She tried to break away, and kicked the man in the gut, but he responded by twisting her wrist violently. Natasha squeaked in pain. "Natasha!" Tony yelled, running over to her.

One of the men grabbed Tony and punched him in the stomach, knocking the breath out of him. Tony watched as Natasha kicked her captor once again, but she howled when he twisted her wrist until they heard a snap. The other two men grabbed hold of her and they took her away. The man that held Tony punched him again, and then they followed behind Natasha and her captors.

Tony followed down the dark hall, until they came to a door. Tony was forced to stop as the door opened and he was shoved inside, but he called out Natasha's name one last time. He heard her say something, but her voice was drowned out by the sound of shouting Russians. "Заткнись!" One man said, grabbing Tony by the arm. The guard sat him down in a small chair next to a table, and then went to stand by the door. A few minutes later a man walked in and sat in another chair on the other side of the table.

The man had light blonde hair that came down a little past his ears, and he had bright blue eyes. He smiled at Tony, showing perfect white teeth. Tony just glared at him. "Mr. Anthony Stark," the man said to him. He had a thick Russian accent. "I've heard many things about you, good and bad. I heard about the stunt you pulled in New York, with all those aliens, I've heard about how you stopped The Mandarin, I've heard about how you were kidnapped and held hostage by those terrorists, and I've heard about how you destroyed Ivan Vanko." Tony raised his eyebrow slightly when the man mentioned Ivan Vanko. The way he said it, Tony thought, almost sounds like he knew him.

"Always trying to be the hero," the man said. "Along with that pathetic group of idiots. What do you call yourselves? The Avengers?" He laughed, and Tony gritted his teeth. It was a cruel and evil laugh, and it made Tony flinch. The man stood up from the table and started pacing around the room. "Absolutely ridiculous. You look like fools, running around and trying to help people. You do nothing but cause trouble." Tony glared at him, coughing a little before he spoke. "What do you want with us? Who are you?"

"Natalia has never mentioned me?" He asked. When Tony have him a confused look, he continued, "Ah, of course not. I should have realized that. She tries so hard to hide from her past that she doesn't realize that we will always be there. You can't run away from ghosts. They will always haunt you, no matter where you go." The man continued to pace the room, keeping an eye on Tony. "I am Ivan Petrovitch. I'm sure if you ask Natalia, she would tell you about me." Tony gritted his teeth, glaring at Ivan again. "What do you want with her?" He asked, his voice lowering. When Ivan didn't respond, he growled. "Who the hell are you?" Tony said, standing up. "Why did you kidnap us?" When Ivan failed to reply a second time, Tony walked over to him. His hands were balled up in fists. "Goddammit, tell me!" Tony raised his arm and punched Ivan in the face. He realized his mistake the second he did it, because the other two Russian men rushed over to Tony and grabbed him, throwing him in his seat. The taller one punched him in the nose, laughing when Tony howled in pain.

They took turns beating Tony, punching, kicking, and mocking him until he laid in a motionless heap on the ground. One of them picked him up and took him back to his cell, throwing him on the ground in the corner. He just sat there for a few minutes, stunned, but he lifted his head when he heard soft whimpering. He gasped when he saw Natasha a few feet away from him. Her cheeks were littered with bruises, there was blood flowing from an open wound on her shoulder, and she was cradling her wrist. Tony got up and limped over to her. He picked her up gently and ignored the searing pain in his body as he carried her over to the corner. He gently laid her down and sat next to her, ripping a piece of cloth from her shirt to use as a bandage for the wound on her shoulder.

She's even worse than me, he thought as he pressed the cloth to her shoulder. She whimpered. "It's okay Natasha, it's okay." He soothed. "I'm going to get us out of here, alright? I'll find a way to do it, I promise." He looked down at her and thought of the team, of Pepper, of everyone at home waiting for them. "The team is probably out looking for us right now. And Pepper? She's probably got the whole world on alert." His eyes started to water when he thought of Pepper. He looked down to try and hide his tears, but Natasha was already falling asleep. He wiped his eyes. "I promise you Natasha, I'll get us out of here. We're strong, we can do it. We'll get home. I promise."

Tony tried to stop the tears from flowing down his face, but he couldn't. Seeing Natasha next to him, barely breathing, just made it worse, and he sobbed. He couldn't stop thinking about Pepper, about how he promised to stay safe, and to come back to her. "Pepper..." He whispered sadly. "Pepper, I promise I'll come back to you. I'll come back, I'll come back..." Tony fell asleep muttering those words.


End file.
